In the following reference is only made to a headset. It should be appreciated that the system also relates to similar functioning parts of telecommunication systems, such as handsets and connected devices. It is well known that shocks occasionally occur in telecommunication systems. These shocks are impulses of a significant voltage, which when they are transferred to the telephone and the headset are ejected as equivalently high sound levels to the headset user's ear or ears. The sound pressure level may be as high as 130 to 140 dB. It is fair to say that the headset itself does not cause the shock but only transmits this to the wearer of the headset. It is evident that when subjected to such signal, the user may suffer hearing damage and in addition to this may experience a shock condition.
When using a normal handset of a telephone, the user may, due to the fact that this is held by hand, quickly remove this from the ear and thereby avoid significant damage from the shock. When a headset is used in connection with a telecommunication system, the output transducer will normally be placed in a fixed position in relation to an ear and maintained in position by means of a hook over the ear or a headband. The removal is hereby not effected as quickly as in connection with the handset, which leads to an increased risk of damage of the hearing. A headset is however necessary for many receptionists and call centre employees due to the nature of their job, and due to the fact that these groups are using the telephone for a significant number of hours every day, making the use of a handset impossible, or at least less practical.
Due to this situation a number of attempts have been made to cope with the problem of the shock. The most common attempt comprises placing in parallel with the output transducer a number of diodes having the function of cutting the signal to a certain extent when a shock arises. This is however not very effective and there is still a significant risk that the occurrence of a shock may lead to damage of the hearing ability of a headset user.
For this reason there is a need for improving the headset and/or the telephone system in a manner that improves the ability of the headset to resist the transmission of the shock arising in the telephone system to the headset user.